Asalamualaikum.

Hazrat, please confirm whether the below action is considered gheebat under the shariah.

A friend of mine, and me were discussing certain fatwa of respected scholar. We saying how it’s quite harsh, how he makes takfir on other ‘Ulema, and many ‘Ulema do not agree with him on many contemporary issues.

I would praise the Maulana’ intention, and made du’a for him as I mildly expressed my concerns with his fatwa, and mildly passing a few critical comments. My friend however, was saying the Maulana is “extreme and stupid”. I made him aware of the Ahadith where the Prophet (SAW) warned those who wrong his friends will be destroyed. He somewhat persisted, and eventually I totally to stick a sock in it as the Hadith of “gheebat” kept ringing in my head.

You might be asking was there any need for a discussion, and the answer was no. It was just casual chit-chat to pass the time.

My question is were we both guilty of gheebat, or just him?